How to Fix the NVIDIA Output not Plugged in Error on Windows?

The problem is related to the NVIDIA audio output which appears as unplugged when viewed in the Playback tab of the Sound settings inside Control Panel. Besides that, users are unable to enable sound for their HDMI output.

There aren’t many different methods to pull off when troubleshooting this problem but the ones we provided below were confirmed as successful by users online. Make sure you check it out below!

What Causes the NVIDIA Output Not Plugged in Error on Windows?

Even though this problem appears inside the Sounds section of your computer’s settings, its real cause is the NVIDIA graphics driver and you should consider replacing it. Some users managed to resolve the problem by installing the latest one and others rolled back their driver. Either way, it should resolve the NVIDIA audio output issue.

Alternatively, you can check the NVIDIA Control Panel to see whether all settings are set up properly. There is an option which prevents HDMI sound from being broadcast and you need to make sure to disable that. Good luck in resolving your problem!

Solution 1: Update Your NVIDIA Graphics Driver

This problem can be caused both by outdated drivers which can’t work well with your device or by the newest drivers, as reported by some users. Even though some users are skeptic about updating graphics drivers to resolve audio issues, you should check out this method as is has helped plenty of users resolve their problem.

1. Click the Start menu button, type in “Device Manager” afterward, and select it from the list of available results by simply clicking the first one. You can also tap the Windows Key + R key combo to bring up the Run dialog box. Type in “devmgmt.msc” in the dialog box and click OK to run it.

2. Since it’s the video card driver you want to update on your computer, expand the Display adapters section, right-click on your graphics card and choose the Uninstall Device

3. Confirm any dialogues or prompts which may ask you to confirm the uninstallation of the current graphics device driver and wait for the process to complete.
4. Look for your graphics card driver on NVIDIA’s Input the required information about the card and your operating system and click on Search.

5. A list of all available drivers should appear. Make sure you scroll down until you reach the required entry, click on its name and the Download button afterward. Save it to your computer, open it, and follow the instructions on-screen.
6. When you reach the Installation Options screen, choose the Custom (Advanced) option before clicking Next. You will be presented with a list of components which will be installed. Check the box next to the Perform a clean installation box and click Next and install the driver.

7. Check to see if the problem has been resolved and if NVIDIA output still shows up as unplugged!

Alternative: Rollback the Driver

For the users for which the problem started to appear after they have installed the latest drivers for their graphics card, there is a different method they can use. It involves rolling back the graphics card driver.

This process will look for backup files of the driver which was installed before the most recent updates and that driver will be installed instead.

1. First of all, you will need to uninstall the driver you currently have installed on your machine.
2. Type “Device Manager” into the search field next to the Start menu button to open the device manager window. You can also use the Windows Key + R key combination to open the Run dialog box. Type devmgmt.msc in the box and click OK or Enter key.

3. Expand the “Display Adapters” section. This will display all network adapters that the machine has installed at the moment.
4. Right-click on the display adapter you want to rollback and select Properties. After the Properties window opens, navigate to the Driver tab and locate the Roll Back Driver

5. If the option is grayed out, it means that the device wasn’t updated recently or it has no backup files remembering the old driver.
6. If the option is available to click on, do so and follow the instructions on-screen to proceed with the process.

Solution 2: Enable it in the NVIDIA Control Panel

If correct settings have not been set up in NVIDIA Control Panel, your HDMI port may be set up to not broadcast audio which will display the NVIDIA audio output as unplugged when viewing playback devices connected to your computer. Follow the steps below to resolve the NVIDIA output not plugged in on Windows!

1. Right-click your desktop at the blank side without icons and select the NVIDIA Control Panel entry from the context menu which will appear. You can also double-click the NVIDIA icon in the system tray if you see it. NVIDIA Control Panel can also be located in the Control Panel by switching to the Large icons view and locating it.

2. From the navigation menu, click the + button next to the Display section to expand the dropdown list. Under that, choose the Set up digital audio option.
3. Under the first screen, navigate under the name of your graphics card and look for the HDMI entry in the list. Make sure you choose the device you are connected to in the dropdown list.

4. Right-click on the Volume icon located at the bottom right part of your screen and choose the Playback devices An alternative way would be to open the Control Panel on your PC and set the View by option to Large icons. After that, locate and click on the Sounds option to open the same window.
5. Stay in the Playback tab of the Sound window which just opened up.

6. You should now be able to see the NVIDIA output device you want to set as default. If that is not the case, right-click anywhere in the middle of the window and check the boxes next to the Show Disabled Devices and Show Disconnected Devices Your device should now appear.

7. Left-click on the newly appeared device and click the Set Default button below which should switch the sound to them as soon as it’s connected. That should resolve the problem you have with NVIDIA output audio!

If none of these methods shown above helped you at all, double-check that you are using the correct port for your audio and your speakers are connected to the ports on Graphics Card, not on the ports of Motherboard.