One of our colleagues just forgot android pattern lock, he was using for a long period and he had to loose all his data to recover his phone. Google gives you a password recovery option when you key in repeated wrong patterns. You may receive a wrong credentials error but don’t worry its nothing to do with a wrong username or password. Its just that you are not connected to internet. Exactly, if you are not connected to internet before forgetting your pattern lock then you cannot use this option. The only ethical way out is hard resetting your android mobile.
Caution: Hard resetting you android device swipes all the data on the device. So you loose all your contacts, photos, ringtones and any other data stored on your device memory. This is also a safety feature of android to keep user data safe from being exploited. If you forgot android pattern lock you have no other ethical method to retrieve it.
Method of hard reset varies for devices and Android OS versions. The device should be powered off before you proceed with the hard reset. Use the Volume key to navigate and Power key to select the “Factory Setting” option from the “Recovery Menu”. This helps if you have forgot android pattern lock or passcode. You need to explore the following methods to see which works for your device.
1. Press and hold the Volume Down key and press the Power key to start your phone. Release the power key but keep holding the volume down key for about 10-15 seconds until you see some options on the screen.
2. Press and hold the Volume Up and the Volume Down keys both at the same time(at the center of the volume button). Press and hold the Power key until a screen that shows some options appear. Usually it takes about 15-20 seconds reaching the options screen.
3. Power on the device holding the Volume Up button and Home button. When you feel the phone vibrate release the power button holding the other buttons.
This method works for the Samsung Galaxy Family phones.
4. Power on the device holding the Home key. Leave power button keeping hold the Home key until the recovery options are seen on the screen.
After completing the recovery to factory settings, restart the phone and you will be taken to your home screen.