Fixing the “NVIDIA Output Not Connected” error in Windows 10

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Are your NVIDIA outputs grayed out and listed as “Not connected”? Can’t get HDMI audio to work? No need to panic. You’re certainly not alone. Many Windows users report the exact same problem. But most importantly, you can quickly and easily fix the situation.

NVIDIA is one of the leading suppliers of excellent graphics cards for your high-end games. While the company makes great products, there can be some problems, which we’ll cover today on IR Cache. In this final installment of our troubleshooting series, we’ll take a look at the “Nvidia Output Not Plugged In” error on your Windows PC.

What causes the “NVIDIA Output Not Plugged In” error on Windows 10

Even if this problem appears in the “Sounds” section of your computer settings, the root cause is the NVIDIA graphics driver and you should consider replacing it. Some users have been able to solve the problem by installing the latest version of the driver, while others have reinstalled the driver. Either way, this should solve the problem with the NVIDIA sound.

You can also check in the NVIDIA control panel to make sure all the settings are correct. There is an option that prevents HDMI audio, and you should make sure it is disabled. Good luck with solving your problem.

How to fix the “NVIDIA output not connected” error in Windows 10



Update the NVIDIA graphics driver

This error may be caused by outdated drivers that don’t work well with your device, or by the latest drivers. You can try updating the NVIDIA graphics driver to fix this error.

1. Press the Windows + R key combination to open the Run dialog box. Type devmgmt.msc and click OK to start the Device Manager.
2. Expand the Display Adapters panel, right-click on the graphics card, and select Uninstall Device to uninstall the graphics card.
3. Look for any dialog boxes or prompts that might ask you to confirm the removal of the current graphics device driver, and wait for the process to complete.
4. Find the drivers for your NVIDIA products in the NVIDIA driver download section. Enter all the necessary information and click SEARCH.
5. Click the entry you want and click Download. Save the file to your computer, open it and follow the instructions.
6. In the Installation Options window, select Selective (advanced), check the Perform a clean installation checkbox, and click NEXT to install the driver.

Now make sure that the “NVIDIA output not connected” error is resolved.

Resetting the driver

If the “NVIDIA Output Not Connected” error occurs after installing the latest video card drivers, you can try to reset the video card driver.

1. Uninstall the driver that is currently installed on your computer.
2. Press the Windows + R key combination to open the “Run” dialog box.
3. Type devmgmt.msc and click OK to open the Device Manager.
4. Expand Display Adapters, right-click the display adapter you want to reset, and select Properties.
5. Click the “Drivers” tab and look for “Rollback Driver”.
6. If this option is grayed out, it means that the device has not been updated recently or that there are no backup files storing the old driver.
7. If the option is not grayed out, follow the instructions to continue the process.

Enable the NVIDIA output port in the NVIDIA control panel

If you have not set the correct settings in the NVIDIA control panel, the HDMI port may not be configured to transmit audio. When viewing playback devices connected to your computer, you will see an “NVIDIA output not connected” error.

You can try enabling the NVIDIA output port in the NVIDIA Control Panel to resolve this issue.

1. Right-click on a blank desktop with no icon and select NVIDIA Control Panel.
2. Expand the Display section and select Configure Digital Audio.
3. Find the name of your video card and look for HDMI in the list. Select the device you are connected to.
4. Right-click the volume icon in the lower right corner of the screen, select Sounds, and then click the Playback tab.
5. The NVIDIA output device that you want to use by default will appear.
6. If it does not appear, right-click on an empty area and check the Show Disconnected Devices and Show Unconnected Devices boxes. Your device should appear on the screen. Left-click on the newly appearing device and click Set Default.
7. Make sure that the “NVIDIA Output is not connected” error has disappeared.

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