Inspiron 3181

Setup and Specifications

Regulatory Model: P26T

Regulatory Type: P26T002
Notes, cautions, and warnings

NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your product.

CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem.

WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death.

© 2018 Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Dell, EMC, and other trademarks are trademarks of Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. Other trademarks
may be trademarks of their respective owners.

2018 - 07

Rev. A00
 Contents

1 Set up your Chromebook................................................................................................................................4

2 Chromebook recovery................................................................................................................................... 5
Recovering the Chromebook............................................................................................................................................5
Step 1: Check for the "Chrome OS is missing or damaged" message...................................................................5
Step 2: Create the recovery USB flash drive or SD card........................................................................................ 5
Reinstall the Chrome Operating System................................................................................................................... 6
"Chrome OS verification is turned off" Message..................................................................................................... 6
Troubleshooting Tips.................................................................................................................................................... 7

3 Views of Inspiron 3181.................................................................................................................................... 8

Front.................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Right.................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Left.......................................................................................................................................................................................8
Base..................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Display................................................................................................................................................................................ 10
Bottom............................................................................................................................................................................... 10

4 Specifications of Inspiron 3181...................................................................................................................... 11

Computer model................................................................................................................................................................ 11
Dimensions and weight..................................................................................................................................................... 11
Processors..........................................................................................................................................................................11
Chipset............................................................................................................................................................................... 12
Operating system..............................................................................................................................................................12
Memory..............................................................................................................................................................................12
Ports and connectors.......................................................................................................................................................12
Communications............................................................................................................................................................... 13
EthernetWireless module...........................................................................................................................................13
Audio...................................................................................................................................................................................13
Storage...............................................................................................................................................................................14
Media-card reader............................................................................................................................................................ 14
Keyboard............................................................................................................................................................................ 14
Keyboard...................................................................................................................................................................... 14
Camera...............................................................................................................................................................................16
Touchpad............................................................................................................................................................................17
Touchpad......................................................................................................................................................................17
Power adapter...................................................................................................................................................................18
Battery............................................................................................................................................................................... 18
Display................................................................................................................................................................................ 19
Video..................................................................................................................................................................................20
Computer environment................................................................................................................................................... 20

5 Contacting Dell.............................................................................................................................................21

Contents 3
 1
Set up your Chromebook
1 Connect the power adapter and press the power button.

NOTE: To conserve battery power, the battery might enter power saving mode. Connect the power adapter and press the
power button to turn on the computer.
2 On the Welcome screen, select your language, keyboard layout, and choose which network to which the device will be connected. If
the network is secure, you will need to enter the proper password. After making these choices, click Let's go.
3 The next screen will display the Chrome OS terms of agreement. There will be a check box to allow automatic usage statistics and
crash reports to be sent to Google. You may choose to opt out of this if you wish. You must click Accept and continue to complete
the setup.
4 The next screen allows you to sign in using your Google account. If you do not have a Google account, you can create one at this point
or you can choose to continue and browse as a guest.

NOTE: When the device is set for enterprise enrollment, you will not be able to register the device until you coordinate with
your network administrator or cancel enterprise enrollment by pressing CTRL + Alt + E.
5 After entering your Google account information, you should be at the Chrome desktop. There will be icons for Google Apps, the
Chrome Browser, Gmail, Google Search (which also launches the Chrome Browser), Google Docs, You Tube, and the Get Started app.

4 Set up your Chromebook

 2
Chromebook recovery
This page contains information about recovering Dell Chromebook.

Recovering the Chromebook

Install a new version of the Chrome operating system on your Chromebook by going through the recovery process. You may want to go
through this process if you are having problems updating your Chromebook or if it stops working.

NOTE: All account information and data stored on your Chromebook, such as photos, downloaded files, and saved networks, will
be deleted. Owner privileges for your primary account will also be reset. However, the actual Google Accounts and any data
synced to these accounts are not affected by the recovery process. After the recovery process is complete, you will be guided
through the initial setup again.
Prerequisites:

Before starting this process, you need the following:

• A Chrome device, Windows, Mac, or the Linux computer with administrative rights.
• A 4 GB or larger USB flash drive or SD card.

Step 1: Check for the "Chrome OS is missing or damaged"

message
If you see this message, you can first try to perform a hard reset on your Chromebook by pressing Refresh + Power. If you still see this
message after performing a hard reset, please proceed to Step 2.

If you see the Chrome OS verification is turned off message, refer to Chrome OS verification is turned off message section below.

Step 2: Create the recovery USB flash drive or SD card

Insert a USB flash drive or SD card into your computer and follow the instructions below:

Table 1. Chromebook recovery

Operating System Instructions

Create a recovery flash drive by using the Image Burner. The tool
may not be available in all languages.

1 Type chrome://imageburner into the omnibox (browser's

address bar) .
Chrome Device Instructions
2 Run the tool and follow the instructions that appear on your
screen.

NOTE: When recovering your Chromebook, make sure to

create the recovery flash drive on the same model.

Windows Instructions 1 Click this link to download the Recovery Tool.

Chromebook recovery 5
Operating System Instructions

2 Run the tool and follow the instructions that appear on your
screen.
3 After you recover your Chromebook, you must format your
USB flash drive or SD card using the Recovery Tool. If you do
not format your USB flash drive or SD card, you will not be
able to use all the storage space on your external device.
Additionally, your USB flash drive or SD card may not be
recognizable by Windows.

Create a recovery flash drive by using the Recovery Tool. The tool
may not be available in all languages.

1 Click this link to download the Recovery Tool.

2 Run the tool and follow the instructions that appear on your
Mac Instructions screen.

After the process is complete, you might see an alert saying your
USB drive or SD card is unreadable. If this fails, try removing and
reinserting your USB drive or SD card. Your USB drive or SD card
should now be ready to use for recovery.

Create a recovery flash drive by using the Recovery Tool. The tool
may not be available in all languages.

1 1.Click this link to download the Recovery Tool.

2 Modify the script permissions to allow execution with the
Linux Instructions following command: $ & sudo chmod 755 linux_recovery.sh.
3 Run the script with root privileges with the following
command:$ sudo bash linux_recovery.sh.
4 Follow the prompts from the tool to complete building the
operating system image.

Reinstall the Chrome Operating System

1 Start your Chromebook.
2 When the Chrome OS is missing or damaged screen appears, insert the USB flash drive or SD card you created into the USB port or
SD card slot on your Chrome device.
3 Wait for the Chromebook to boot up from the flash drive.
4 Follow the instructions that appear on the screen.
5 On successful installation of the Chrome operating system, you will be prompted to remove the USB flash drive or SD card.
6 Remove the USB flash drive or SD card when prompted, and your Chromebook will automatically restart.

You should now be able to start your Chromebook as normal. Because the data stored on your Chromebook has been cleared, you will need
to go through the initial setup again. Make sure you sign in with your primary Google Account, because this account will be set as the
owner account.

"Chrome OS verification is turned off" Message

By default, Chromebooks are set to the normal user mode. If you've set the user mode to developer mode instead, you'll see a screen with
the message "Chrome OS verification is turned off" when you start up. Use the developer mode if you want to test your own version of the
Chrome operating system.

Press Ctrl+D to enter developer mode. If you press the space bar instead, you'll see a screen asking to recover your device.

6 Chromebook recovery
Troubleshooting Tips
Table 2. Troubleshooting tips

Question Solution
I am unable to recover my Chromebook To help ensure that you are running the latest version of Chrome
OS once you recover your Chromebook, we recommend creating
the recovery media with the latest version of Chrome OS and avoid
using recovery media that may contain an older version of the
operating system.
An error message An unexpected error has occurred. Try the following steps:

1 Confirm that you successfully completed all instructions

exactly as specified in Step 2: Create the recovery USB flash
drive or SD card above.
2 Try using a different USB stick or SD card.
3 If the problem persists, contact Google Chrome support team.

An error message You are using an out-of-date Chrome OS You should download an up-to date recovery image. Simply follow all
recovery image. the instructions exactly as specified in Step 2 above.
You successfully recovered your Chromebook but now you can not After you have completed recovery, you need to format your USB
use your USB or SD card with Windows or SD card using the recovery tool.
You successfully recovered your Chromebook but now Windows After you have completed recovery, you need to format your USB
does not recognize the whole size of the USB or SD card used for or SD card using the recovery tool.
recover.

Chromebook recovery 7
 3
Views of Inspiron 3181
Front

1 Speakers

Provide audio output.

Right

1 Headset port

Connect headphones or a headset (headphone and microphone combo).

2 Power and battery-status light

Indicates the power state and battery state of the computer.

Solid white—Power adapter is connected and the battery is charging.

Solid amber—Battery charge is low or critical.

Off—Battery is fully charged.

3 Security-cable slot (for Noble locks)

Connect a security cable to prevent unauthorized movement of your computer.

Left

8 Views of Inspiron 3181

1 Power-adapter port

Connect a power adapter to provide power to your computer.

2 microSD-card slot

Insert a microSD card to expand the computer’s storage capacity.

3 HDMI port

Connect to a TV or another HDMI-in enabled device. Provides video and audio output.
4 USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports (2)

Connect peripherals such as external storage devices and printers. Provides data transfer speeds up to 5 Gbps.

Base

1 Left-click area

Press to left-click.
2 Touchpad

Move your finger on the touchpad to move the mouse pointer. Tap to left-click and two finger tap to right-click.
3 Right-click area

Press to right-click.
4 Power button

Press to turn on the computer if it is turned off, in sleep state, or in hibernate state.

Press to put the computer in sleep state if it is turned on.

Press and hold to force shut-down the computer.

NOTE: You can customize the power-button behavior in Power Options. For more information, see Me and My Dell at
www.dell.com/support/manuals.

Views of Inspiron 3181 9

Display

1 Left microphone

Provides digital sound input for audio recording and voice calls.
2 Camera

Enables you to video chat, capture photos, and record videos.

3 Camera-status light

Turns on when the camera is in use.

4 Right microphone

Provides digital sound input for audio recording and voice calls.

Bottom

1 Service Tag label

The Service Tag is a unique alphanumeric identifier that enables Dell service technicians to identify the hardware components in your
computer and access warranty information.

10 Views of Inspiron 3181

 4
Specifications of Inspiron 3181
Computer model
Inspiron 3181

Dimensions and weight

Table 3. Dimensions and weight

Height:

Front 20.75 mm (0.81 in)

Rear 20.75 mm (0.81 in)

Width 303.30 mm (11.94 in)

Depth 206 mm (8.11 in)

Weight (maximum) 1.40 kg (3.08 lb)

NOTE: The weight of your computer depends on the

configuration ordered and the manufacturing variability.

Processors
Table 4. Processor specifications

Processor Intel Celeron Processor N3060

Wattage 6W

Core count/Thread count 2/2

Speed Up to 1.6 GHz, 2.48 GHz Boost

L2 cache 2 MB

L3 cache Not supported

Integrated graphics Intel HD Graphics 400 GPU

Specifications of Inspiron 3181 11

Chipset
Table 5. Chipset specifications

Chipset Integrated on the processor

DRAM bus width 64 bits

Flash EPROM 8 MB

PCIe bus Up to Gen2

External bus frequency Up to 5 GT per second

Operating system
Chrome OS

Memory
Table 6. Memory specifications

Slots On board RAM

Type LPDDR3

Speed 1600 MHz

Maximum memory 4 GB

Ports and connectors

Table 7. Ports and connectors specifications

External:

USB Two USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports

Audio Two Microphone/headphone/headset Combo ports

Video One HDMI-out 1.4 port

Memory card reader One MicroSD-card slot

Power adapter port One power-adapter port

Security Noble lock

12 Specifications of Inspiron 3181

Communications
Ethernet
Table 8. Ethernet specifications

Model number Not supported

Transfer rate Not supported

Wireless module
Table 9. Wireless module specifications

Model number Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265

Transfer rate 867 Mbps

Frequency bands supported 2.4 GHz/5 GHz

Wireless standards Wi-Fi 802.11ac

Encryption
• 64-bit/128-bit WEP
• AES-CCMP
• TKIP

Bluetooth Bluetooth 4.2

Audio
Table 10. Audio specifications

Type High-Definition-Audio

Controller Realtek ALC3256

Stereo conversion Supported

Internal interface 12S

External interface Headset combo jack (stereo headphones/microphone-in)

Speakers Supported

Internal speaker amplifier Supported

External volume controls Supported

Specifications of Inspiron 3181 13

Speaker output:

Average 2W

Peak 2.5 W

Subwoofer output Not supported

Microphone Supported

Storage
Table 11. Storage specifications

Storage type Interface type Capacity

One embedded multimedia card (eMMC) eMMC • 16 GB
• 32 GB

Media-card reader
Table 12. Media-card reader specifications

Type One MicroSD-card slot

Cards supported MicroSD

Keyboard
Table 13. Keyboard specifications

Type Standard non-backlit keyboard

Layout QWERTY

Number of keys
• United States and Canada: 74 keys
• United Kingdom: 75 keys

Size
• X = 19.05 mm key pitch
• Y = 18.05 mm key pitch

Keyboard
Dell Chromebook keyboards have a few extra features to help you browse the web effortlessly and efficiently. The keyboard contains a
dedicated search key and a new row of web shortcut keys. A standard USB Windows keyboard can also be used with the Chromebook,

14 Specifications of Inspiron 3181

using the same keyboard shortcuts. The image below shows the keyboard layout.

Keyboard keys function

The Chrome device keyboard is designed to help you get to the things you need the most. The table below is an overview of the special
keys on the top row of the keyboard:

Table 14. Special keys

Special keys
Go to the previous page in browser history

Go to the next page in browser history

Reload current page

Enter Immersive mode, which hides the tabs and launcher

Enter Overview mode, which shows all windows

Decrease screen brightness

Increase screen brightness

Mute

Decrease the volume

Increase the volume

Specifications of Inspiron 3181 15

Special keys
Search applications and the web at the same time. On a Chromebook, this key is on the side, where the Caps Lock key
is normally located.

Keyboard shortcut keys

Table 15. Shortcut keys

Shortcut keys
Function Combination keys
Page up Press Alt and the up arrow
Page down Press Alt and the down arrow
Home Press Ctrl+Alt, and the up arrow
End Press, Ctrl+Alt and the down arrow
Delete Press Alt+Backspace
Toggle the bookmark bar Ctrl+Shift+B
Search current webpage Ctrl+F
Open a new tab Ctrl+T
Open a new window Ctrl+N
Open the link you clicked in a new background tab Press Alt and click a link
Switch to next tab Ctrl+Tab
Switch to next window Switch to next window
Sign out of Google Account Ctrl+Shift+Q
Close current tab Ctrl+W

To see more shortcuts, simply press Ctrl+Alt+? To open the keyboard viewer on your screen.

Camera
Table 16. Camera specifications

Number of cameras One

Type One HD fixed focus

Location Front

Sensor type CMOS sensor technology

Resolution:

Still image 1280 x 720 (HD)

Video 1280 x 720 (HD) at 30 fps

16 Specifications of Inspiron 3181

Diagonal viewing angle: 75.2 degrees

Touchpad
Table 17. Touchpad specifications

Resolution
Horizontal 3061

Vertical 1637

Dimensions:

Horizontal 100 mm (3.93 in)

Vertical 55 mm (2.16 in)

Touchpad
This page contains information for Dell Chromebook touchpad gestures.
The following table lists some gestures and actions supported by the Chromebook touchpad:

Table 18. Touch pad gestures

Touchpad gestures
Gestures Explanation
Simply move your finger across the touchpad.

Press down on the lower half of the touchpad. Since tap-to-click is enabled by default, you can quickly tap the
touchpad to click.

Click the touchpad with two fingers.

Specifications of Inspiron 3181 17

 Touchpad gestures
Place two fingers on the touchpad and move them up and down to scroll vertically, left and right to scroll
horizontally. If you have Australian scrolling enabled, move two fingers up to scroll down. (It works in the same
way as say, your smartphone or tablet.) If you have multiple browser tabs open, you can also swipe left and
right with three fingers to quickly move between tabs.

Swipe Quickly move two fingers left or right to go backward or forward on web pages or while using apps.
Click the item you want to move with one finger. With a second finger, move the item. Release both fingers to
drop the item at its new location.

Power adapter
Table 19. Power adapter specifications

Type 65 W

Diameter (connector) 7.4 mm

Input voltage 100 VAC-240 VAC

Input frequency 50 Hz-60 Hz

Input current (maximum) 1.5 A

Output current (continuous) 3.34 A

Rated output voltage 19.50 VDC

Temperature range:

Operating 0°C to 40°C (32°F to 104°F)

Storage –40°C to 70°C (–40°F to 158°F)

Battery
Table 20. Battery specifications

Type 3-cell “smart” lithium-ion (42 WHr)

Voltage 11.40 VDC

Weight (maximum) 0.2 kg (0.44 lb)

18 Specifications of Inspiron 3181

Dimensions:

Height 5.90 mm (0.23 in)

Width 97.15 mm (3.82 in)

Depth 184.15 mm (7.25 in)

Temperature range:

Operating 0°C to 35°C (32°F to 95°F)

Storage –20°C to 65°C (–40°F to 149°F)

Operating time Varies depending on operating conditions and can significantly

reduce under certain power-intensive conditions.
Charging time (approximate)
• 0~15°C : 4 hours
• 16~60°C : 3 hours
• 46~60°C : 3 hours

NOTE: Control the charging time, duration, start and

end time, and so on using the Dell Power Manger
application. For more information on the Dell Power
Manger see, Me and My Dell on https://www.dell.com/

Life span (approximate) 1 year warranty for 300 cycles discharge/charge cycles

Coin-cell battery CR-2032

Display
Table 21. Display specifications

Type 11.6-inch HD non touch

Panel technology HD Anti-Glare

Luminance (typical) 220 nits

Dimensions (active area):

Height 144 mm (5.70 in)

Width 256.12 mm (10.08 in)

Diagonal 293.83 mm (11.60 in)

Native resolution 1366 x 768

Pixels Per Inch (PPI) 135

Contrast ratio (minimum) 16:9

Response time (maximum) 20 msec rise/fall

Specifications of Inspiron 3181 19

 Refresh rate 60 Hz

Horizontal view angle +/-40 degrees

Vertical view angle +10/-30 degrees

Pixel pitch 0.1875 mm

Power consumption (maximum) 2.8 W

Anti-glare vs glossy finish Anti-glare

Touch options No

Video
Table 22. Integrated graphics specifications

The following table provides the detailed integrated graphics specifications of Inspiron 3181.
Controller External display support Memory size Memory type
Intel HD Graphics One HDMI port Shared system System memory
memory

Computer environment
Airborne contaminant level: G1 as defined by ISA-S71.04-1985

Table 23. Computer environment

Operating Storage
Temperature range 0°C to 35°C (32°F to 95°F) –40°C to 65°C (–40°F to 149°F)

Relative humidity (maximum) 10% to 90% (non-condensing) 0% to 95% (non-condensing)

Vibration (maximum) 0.66 GRMS 1.30 GRMS

Shock (maximum) 110 G† 160 G‡

Altitude (maximum) –15.2 m to 3,048 m (–50 ft to 10,000 ft) –15.2 m to 10,668 m (–50 ft to 35,000 ft)

* Measured using a random vibration spectrum that simulates user environment.

† Measured using a 2 ms half-sine pulse when the hard drive is in use.

‡ Measured using a 2 ms half-sine pulse when the hard-drive head is in parked position.

20 Specifications of Inspiron 3181

 5
Contacting Dell
NOTE: If you do not have an active Internet connection, you can find contact information on your purchase invoice, packing slip,
bill, or Dell product catalog.
Dell provides several online and telephone-based support and service options. Availability varies by country and product, and some services
may not be available in your area. To contact Dell for sales, technical support, or customer service issues:

1 Go to Dell.com/support.
2 Select your support category.
3 Verify your country or region in the Choose a Country/Region drop-down list at the bottom of the page.
4 Select the appropriate service or support link based on your need.

Contacting Dell 21