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Telophase (also known as telephase), from the ancient Greek "τελος" (end) and "φασις" (stage), is a stage in both meiosis and mitosis in an eukaryotic cell. During telophase, the effects of prophase and prometaphase events are reversed. Two daughter nuclei form in the cell. The nuclear envelopes of the daughter cells are formed from the fragments of the nuclear envelope of the parent cell. As the nuclear envelope forms around each pair of chromatids, the nucleoli reappear. Telophase accounts for approximately 2% of the cell cycle's duration.

Cytokinesis usually occurs at the same time that the nuclear envelope is reforming, yet they are distinct processes. In animal cells, a cleavage furrow develops where the metaphase plate used to be, pinching off the separated nuclei.

In plant cells, vesicles derived from the Golgi apparatus move to the middle of the cell along a microtubule scaffold called the phragmoplast. This structure directs packets of cell wall materials which coalesce into a disk-shaped structure called a cell plate. The cell plate grows out centrifugally and eventually develops into a proper cell wall, separating the two nuclei.

Each daughter cell has a complete copy of the genome of its parent cell, and mitosis is complete.

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v • d • e Cell cycle Interphase G1 phase - S phase - G2 phase M phase Mitosis (Prophase, Prometaphase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase) - Cytokinesis Cell cycle checkpoints Restriction point - Postreplication checkpoint