How to disable pattern lock on Android?

Do you use the pattern lock feature to unlock your Android phone? I decided to test it out, and it works exactly as intended: instead of a password or PIN, you simply draw a pattern on the dots provided. The problem arose when I wanted to disable this feature. It became a nuisance when I wanted to quickly access the camera or Endomondo. To my surprise, the options to unlock the screen by simply swiping or to disable security altogether were unavailable. 

It was possible to switch to a PIN or password, but not to disable it entirely. On various forums, people often suggest that you need to root your phone or downgrade to an older version of Android, etc. 

You can disable the pattern as follows: 

SETTINGS >>> SECURITY >>> CLEAR CREDENTIALS

Once you do this, the previously unavailable options become accessible, and you can choose to unlock your phone by swiping or disable security entirely.