Unmerging a Google Slides table cell restores separate cell areas when a shared heading no longer suits the structure. It is useful before introducing individual column labels or reorganizing a comparison. The operation does not reconstruct distinct facts that were never retained in those separate cells.
Inspect the merged area
Open the slide on a computer and read the merged cell’s current content. Decide how that content should be divided or retained after separation. Check the rows and columns around it so you understand the table’s intended structure before changing it.
Use the unmerge command
Highlight the relevant cells, right-click the selection, and choose Unmerge cells. Google’s table help gives this route for separating merged cells in a document or presentation. Review the resulting grid and identify where the existing wording remains.
Enter any new column or row labels deliberately. Do not assume that the editor can infer the separate labels or values you intend from a formerly shared heading.
Recheck relationships and appearance
Inspect borders, fill colors, and column widths around the restored cells. Confirm that each value now has an unambiguous heading and that no empty cell looks like a missing data point. Present the slide to evaluate the table at audience scale. If the structure has become more complicated than the slide can explain, simplify the comparison or divide it across slides. Unmerging changes the grid; the final editorial check must establish that the revised table still represents the source data accurately and completely.
References
Reviewed against the linked official product guidance on November 3, 2026. Features, limits, screen labels, and access can vary by account, platform, region, and organization policy.