The time evolution of tearing modes in toroidal geometry is studied in the low‐&bgr; and large aspect ratio limit. An initial value three‐dimensional computer code which numerically advances the reduced set of resistive magnetohydrodynamic equations is employed. Toroidicity has, in general, a destabilizing effect on tearing modes in this limit. A generalization of &Dgr;′ formalism can be used to study the linear regime. The results obtained in this way are in very good agreement with the results from the initial value code. The nonlinear phase of the evolution is also followed numerically. In the case of strong interaction of different helicities, a larger region of stochastic magnetic field lines results than in the cylindrical geometry case.