Why do I have too many or too few cards due today?

Your daily review count in Tomaru is calculated automatically by the scheduling engine based on your study history and load settings. Having far more—or far fewer—cards due today than expected usually stems from clear scheduling rules.

Here is why your daily review queue may look larger or smaller than expected:

Why do I have too many cards due?

• Days away from studying: Due cards in spaced repetition do not disappear if you skip a day. Days away cause overdue cards to accumulate, creating a backlog when you return.
• High new-word rate in previous weeks: Taking on a high daily new-word rate generates a heavy stream of recurring reviews weeks later. A rate set too high earlier will compound into large daily review queues today.

If your review queue is overwhelming, adjust your pace in daily load and limits or use smart study with limited time to break down backlogs without abandoning your progress.

Why do I have too few cards due?

• Daily review limits: Your daily review limit is derived directly from your daily new-word rate. Once you reach that cap, no additional scheduled reviews are shown for the day.
• Smart Study session caps: If you start a Smart Study session, the queue fills only the specific time budget you selected rather than presenting your entire review pile.
• Intra-day review steps: Cards you are currently learning have short-interval repeat steps. These cards are waiting for their designated time gap to pass and will reappear later in the day rather than immediately.

To learn how daily queues are generated, read daily load and limits. To manage large review queues efficiently, see smart study with limited time.

Related questions

Do overdue cards expire if I skip studying for a week?

No. Overdue cards remain in your queue until you review them. They accumulate until you complete them or manage them through limited-time study options.

Why did my review queue stop increasing even though I have more cards?

You have likely reached your daily review limit, which caps the total number of reviews shown in a single day based on your new-word rate.

Why do some cards I just reviewed show up again later the same day?

Cards in the early learning phase use short intra-day intervals, causing them to reappear after a set waiting period on the same day.