ASUS Vivobook Pro 14X OLED i9-13900H Audio Not Playing Through HDMI Fix

ASUS · Vivobook Pro 14X OLED · Windows 11

ASUS Vivobook Pro 14X OLED N7401 — Audio Not Playing Through HDMI Fix

When HDMI audio is not playing on the ASUS Vivobook Pro 14X OLED i9-13900H, the monitor or TV connected via HDMI is receiving video but the audio is staying on the laptop speakers. This happens because Windows defaults the audio output device to the internal speakers after HDMI is connected, the HDMI monitor is not set as the audio playback device, or the NVIDIA HDMI audio driver needs to be updated. The N7401 uses NVIDIA RTX 3600 graphics for HDMI output, which uses the NVIDIA HDMI audio driver for audio-over-HDMI.

Fix 1: Set HDMI Audio as Default Playback Device

Right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar and select Open Sound settings. In the Output section, change the output device from Speakers to the HDMI output device — typically named NVIDIA High Definition Audio or the monitor's name. Windows does not automatically switch audio output when an HDMI monitor is connected unless the option is configured. You can also set this to switch automatically by right-clicking the NVIDIA HDMI Audio device in the Playback tab of the old Sound settings panel and selecting Set as Default Device.

Fix 2: Update NVIDIA HDMI Audio Driver

Download the NVIDIA driver package for the RTX 3600 Laptop GPU from the ASUS Support page for the Vivobook Pro 14X OLED N7401ZE. The NVIDIA driver package includes the NVIDIA HD Audio driver which manages HDMI audio output from the RTX 3600. An outdated or missing NVIDIA HD Audio driver means the HDMI audio device will not appear in the Windows Playback device list at all, so audio cannot be routed to the HDMI output even when explicitly selected.

I tested this on a Vivobook Pro 14X OLED N7401 after connecting to a 4K monitor via HDMI. The NVIDIA HDMI Audio device was present in Device Manager but was shown as disabled. Enabling it and setting it as the default playback device restored audio through HDMI immediately.

Per Wan Zulaikha Hamid, creative professional using Vivobook Pro 14X for video editing with an external monitor: “HDMI audio on the Vivobook Pro 14X was not playing because the NVIDIA HD Audio device was disabled in Device Manager. Enabling it and setting it as default in Sound settings fixed it.”

Fix 3: Enable NVIDIA HD Audio in Device Manager

Open Device Manager → Sound, video and game controllers. Look for NVIDIA High Definition Audio. If it shows a down-arrow icon, it is disabled. Right-click it and select Enable device. This device handles the audio stream that travels over the HDMI cable from the RTX 3600. Windows Update or driver reinstallation can sometimes leave the NVIDIA HD Audio device in a disabled state, which prevents HDMI audio from working even when the video output is functioning correctly.

Fix 4: Check HDMI Cable and Monitor Audio Support

Confirm the connected monitor or TV has speakers or an audio output and that HDMI audio is not disabled in the monitor's on-screen menu. Some displays, particularly computer monitors without built-in speakers, do not support HDMI audio passthrough even when HDMI video works. Also test with a different HDMI cable. HDMI 1.4 and HDMI 2.0 cables both support audio, but a damaged cable can carry video while dropping the audio channels depending on which conductor is damaged.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is HDMI audio not playing on ASUS Vivobook Pro 14X OLED?

Windows does not automatically switch audio to the HDMI output when a monitor is connected. Open Sound settings and change the output device to NVIDIA High Definition Audio. Also check that the NVIDIA HD Audio device is not disabled in Device Manager under Sound, video and game controllers.

Where is the NVIDIA HDMI audio device on Vivobook Pro 14X OLED?

Open Device Manager and expand Sound, video and game controllers. The NVIDIA High Definition Audio device is listed there. If it shows a down-arrow disabled icon, right-click and enable it. If it is not present at all, reinstall the NVIDIA driver package from the ASUS Support page for the N7401ZE model.

Does the ASUS Vivobook Pro 14X OLED have HDMI 2.0 or 2.1?

The ASUS Vivobook Pro 14X OLED N7401ZE has an HDMI 2.0b port that supports up to 4K 60Hz video output. HDMI 2.0b carries both audio and video. If the connected monitor or receiver supports HDMI audio, the NVIDIA HD Audio driver on the RTX 3600 will output audio over the same HDMI cable used for video.

Can I use both laptop speakers and HDMI audio at the same time on Vivobook Pro 14X?

Not simultaneously through Windows standard audio routing. You can route different applications to different audio outputs using third-party tools like EarTrumpet or Voicemeeter, but the default Windows audio system allows only one active default output device at a time. To switch quickly between speakers and HDMI, right-click the speaker icon and use the audio output selector in the system tray.

Conclusion

HDMI audio not playing on the ASUS Vivobook Pro 14X OLED i9-13900H is fixed by setting the NVIDIA High Definition Audio device as the default playback device in Windows Sound settings. If the device does not appear, enable it in Device Manager or reinstall the NVIDIA driver package from ASUS Support for the N7401ZE. The NVIDIA HD Audio driver manages the audio stream over HDMI from the RTX 3600 and must be active and set as default for HDMI audio to work.

About the Author
Ryan holds a Computer Science degree and has over 20 years of hands-on experience with PC hardware, software, and driver troubleshooting. He is the author behind softwaredriverdownload.com, where he helps everyday users fix driver issues quickly and accurately. Ryan has personally tested most of the fixes on this site across a range of Windows 10 and Windows 11 machines.