A　new　series　of　acetylene-bridged　phenothiazine-based　di-anchoring　dyes　have　been　synthesized,　fully　characterized,　and　used　as　the　photoactive　layer　for　the　fabrication　of　conventional　dye-sensitized　solar　cells　(DSSCs).　Tuning　of　their　photophysical　and　electrochemical　properties　using　different　π-conjugated　aromatic　rings　as　the　central　bridges　has　been　demonstrated.　This　molecular　design　strategy　successfully　inhibits　the　undesirable　charge　recombination　and　prolongs　the　electron　lifetime　significantly　to　improve　the　power　conversion　efficiency　(η),　which　was　proven　by　the　detailed　studies　of　electrochemical　impedance　spectroscopy　(EIS)　and　open-circuit　voltage　decay　(OCVD).　Under　a　standard　air　mass　(AM)　1.5　irradiation　(100　mW　cm−2),　the　DSSC　based　on　the　dye　with　phenyl　bridging　unit　exhibits　the　highest　η　of　7.44　%　with　open-circuit　photovoltage　(Voc)　of　0.796　V,　short-circuit　photocurrent　density　(Jsc)　of　12.49　mA　cm−2　and　fill　factor　(ff)　of　0.748.　This　η　value　is　comparable　to　that　of　the　benchmark　N719　under　the　same　conditions.　©　2017　Wiley-VCH　Verlag　GmbH　&　Co.　KGaA,　Weinheim