How do you get back into an Android if you forgot the password?

There are several options here, from an easy Forgot my password scenario, to a violent, Self-destruct. It's for your own good, my darling! scenario. Shall we start with the simpler solutions?

If you have your Android password-protected, chances are you've had this chilling experience. I once set up a pattern password, just testing features. It was that kind of star that starts with a V, then traces down to the left and right bottom points, then back up to connect to the first point. This is my Star Password Story: "Enter your password. Swishy, swishy. Verify your password. Swishy, swishy. Password set up. Cool... now to test. *Lock button* Swishy, swishy. Invalid password. *?* Swishy, swishy. Invalid password. *?!?* SWISHY, SWISHY! Invalid password." How does my Star Password Story end? ... I don't remember. But I'm happy to report my phone is still with us today; I did get back in, somehow. And now that you've been intrigued by my gripping story, I shall lay out methods so that you, too, can get back into your phone, despite the invalid password.

Since you are at this point of searching the web for solutions, I assume you've already tried several re-enters. The first thing to try now is calling your Android from another phone. If your phone is capable of multitasking, while the call is open go to Settings and remove the password. If you can't navigate while in a call, try hanging up on the Android, using the back button, home button, or end button, and try hanging up from the other phone, to see if any of these will leave the phone unlocked, so you can get to the settings.

If the calling method fails, either enter your password (incorrectly, I assume), 5 or 8 or so times, or touch the "Forgot password" link, and you'll be prompted to enter your Google sign-in info. I highly recommend entering it correctly, as there are reports that incorrect entries can wipe your phone. Log onto your computer to verify your password, if there is any question of what, exactly, is capitalized. If you have no idea what your password is, navigate to a Google sign-in page on your computer, and go through the "Forgot my password" process there. Once the password is recovered, return to your phone. If you can't get your password tracked down, try this: enter your username, and put null in the password  field. I have not tried this myself, but I have heard multiple reports that it works, surprisingly enough.

If all previous suggestions have failed, it's time to enter more risky territory. Almost all Androids have a hard reset feature, that can be accessed using the buttons on the body of the phone; very useful, when one can't get into the phone. The specific combination of power button, home button, and volume buttons that will access the master reset menu varies by device, and incorrect combinations can cause damage to your phone, so verify your Android's method, rather than experimenting. (Tell me your phone model and I'll get you the info, if you need a hand.) Once you've gotten into the master reset menu, review your options, and most likely settle on the Master Reset option, which will wipe all info from your phone (including your password), but will leave whatever is on your MicroSD card.

The last method is a Remote Wipe, which Google offers. From Google's support site, here are the instructions (I hope one of you is humming a funeral march... Requiem Mass would be a good choice).

To remote wipe a lost or stolen device:

1. Sign in to your Google Apps control panel.
2. Click Settings > Mobile.
3. In the Devices tab, hover your cursor over the user whose device you want to wipe.
4. Click Remote Wipe in the box that appears.
5. A second box appears asking you to confirm that you want to remotely wipe the device. If you are sure you want to wipe the device, click Wipe Device.