Start the relevant count at the warning
The IHF rules give the attacking team a maximum of four passes to finish with a shot after the passive-play forewarning. The earlier total number of passes in the possession is a different count.
Imagine a long attack in which the ball has circulated eight times before the raised-arm signal appears. Continuing a private count to nine, ten and eleven would not describe the post-warning allowance. Reset the viewing note at the official warning.
A counter needs its starting event
A broadcast may display a small remaining-pass indicator only after the signal. It can look inconsistent with the much longer passage just watched because it represents a narrower interval. The referee’s warning, not the possession’s beginning, supplies that interval’s start.
Keep the eventual shot and the official’s judgment visible as well; this article does not turn every deflection or disputed touch into a complete pass-count ruling. It explains why the count shown after the raised arm can be small despite a long preceding attack. The original eight-pass setup illustrates the two timelines rather than reporting an actual possession.
Questions answered
Do all earlier passes use the post-warning allowance?
No. The warning starts the relevant count.
Why can the graphic appear only late in the possession?
It may be tracking the interval after the passive-play signal.
Sources & further reading
Official references for the subjects discussed. Service terms and device software can change.