How to Erase a Previous Owner’s Save on a Secondhand Virtual Pet
If you want a secondhand virtual pet to start as a new game, first identify its exact model, then use that model’s on-screen reset choice if it has one. A reset can erase characters, items, points, friends, settings, or play history. The procedure is not universal: a button on the back may only bring up a choice screen, while some toys offer a reset directly in their settings menu. Check the manufacturer’s instructions before confirming anything.
Identify the device before choosing a reset
Look for the brand and model name on the shell, packaging, or the device’s opening screen. Compare that name with the manual: devices within one product line can have different reset procedures. The steps below cover three examples with manufacturer documentation: the 2024 Tamagotchi Connection, Tamagotchi Uni, and original Bitzee. They should not be assumed to apply to another virtual pet, another Bitzee edition, or an older Tamagotchi.
If the model is unclear, stop before confirming a reset. Find its official manual or support page by searching the maker’s site for the exact name. A generic online instruction can describe a different version and may send you into recovery, battery, or setup screens without erasing the save.
Decide whether a full reset is necessary
A new egg or character does not always mean the old save has been erased. On the Tamagotchi Connection, holding A and C together after a character passes away starts a new egg; the manual describes that separately from RESET, which erases memory such as Gotchi points, items, and the Friends list. For a clean handoff, use the documented memory reset rather than assuming a new character cleared everything. Tamagotchi Connection web manual
Check what the manufacturer says the reset removes. If the device has valuable downloaded or locally stored content, read the relevant model’s notes first. A reset may clear some data and leave other content intact; “factory reset” does not necessarily mean every type of content is removed.
Tamagotchi Connection: choose RESET after the rear button
For the 2024 Tamagotchi Connection, press the reset button on the back with a pointed object, using gentle pressure. When the screen offers DOWNLOAD or RESET, choose RESET to rebirth the character and erase memory. DOWNLOAD resumes the character from its last saved point, so it is not the fresh-start choice. The manual says the memory erased by RESET includes Gotchi points, items, and friends. Official Tamagotchi Connection manual
Afterward, complete the device’s setup screens and check that the previous character and saved items are gone. If you see DOWNLOAD or RESET and are unsure, do not select DOWNLOAD expecting it to clear the previous save.
Tamagotchi Uni: select RESET ALL
On a Tamagotchi Uni, press the rear Reset Button. At the CONTINUE or RESET ALL screen, select RESET ALL if you want a new character. The manual says this restores item data and settings to default, then prompts you to register information and starts a new egg. CONTINUE keeps the current character. If the choice screen times out, it proceeds with CONTINUE, so make the selection deliberately. Tamagotchi Uni manual, reset instructions
The Uni also has a server-linked data detail: Bandai says that after resetting and connecting the device to Wi-Fi, data linked to the Uni is deleted from the server; content obtained through download codes is not deleted. If this distinction matters for the handoff, follow the official reset and Wi-Fi instructions for the Uni rather than assuming RESET ALL alone removes every kind of linked content. Tamagotchi Uni official FAQ
Original Bitzee: use Reset Bitzee in Settings
For the original Bitzee covered by Spin Master’s English quick-start guide, swipe through the Main Menu to the Settings icon and select it. Choose RESET BITZEE. Hold the case level and upright, then touch and keep holding the swipe bar through the countdown until the alarm sound plays. The guide warns that this factory reset erases all existing play history and returns Bitzee to its on-shelf demo. Bitzee Online Quick Start Guide
Do not substitute battery removal for this menu reset. The guide’s battery instructions concern replacing batteries, and warn that progress may be lost if the case is shut before replacing them. Use the reset option when your goal is a deliberate fresh start; follow the exact guide for other Bitzee editions.
Confirm the reset and stop if the screens differ
Once the process ends, check for the expected first-use state: a new egg or setup prompt on the Tamagotchi models, or the demo state on the original Bitzee. Check one or two saved areas named in the manual, such as the Connection’s Friends list or items, to confirm the reset took effect. These checks follow from the manufacturers’ descriptions of what their resets erase; they do not establish that every device storage area has been cleared.
If the display does not show the documented choice or result, do not cycle through unfamiliar button combinations. Recheck the model number and manual, and contact the manufacturer’s support if the reset appears stuck or the device behaves differently. The practical rule is simple: match the exact device, choose the explicit erase/reset option, and verify the result before handing it over.