To　fabricate　highly　efficient　dye　sensitizers　for　dye-sensitized　solar　cells,　new　zinc　porphyrin　dye　sensitizers　were　designed　based　on　one　of　the　most　efficient　dyes,　YD2-o-C8,　by　introducing　electron-rich　heterocyclic　rings　into　the　electron　donor.　Five　potentially　efficient　dyes,　Dye1-5,　were　obtained　by　replacing　the　phenyl　group　of　the　donor　in　YD2-o-C8　with　pyrrolyl,　furyl,　and　thienyl　groups.　The　electronic　structures,　absorption　spectra,　intramolecular　charge-transfer　characteristics,　and　excited-state　lifetimes　of　the　designed　dyes　were　investigated　using　the　density　functional　theory　and　time-dependent　density　functional　theory　methods.　All　the　designed　dyes　exhibit　better　photoelectric　properties　than　those　of　YD2-o-C8.　Compared　with　YD2-o-C8,　the　designed　new　dyes　have　smaller　frontier　molecular　orbital　energy　gaps　and　obvious　red-shifting　absorption　spectra　in　the　Q　band.　The　analyses　of　charge　density　difference　plots　and　intramolecular　charge-transfer　characteristics　indicated　that　the　designed　dyes　can　better　promote　intramolecular　charge　transfer　and　electron-hole　separation.　Among　the　five　designed　dyes,　Dye1　with　a　pyrrolyl　group　exhibits　the　best　performance.　Dye3　and　Dye5　with　methyl-furyl　and　methyl-thienyl　groups,　respectively,　exhibit　the　next　best　performance.　Dye2　and　Dye4　with　furyl　and　thienyl　groups,　respectively,　are　the　worst　performers.　The　introduced　methyl　group　can　further　improve　the　electron-donating　ability　of　heterocyclic　rings　and　promote　the　red　shift　of　the　Q　bands　and　intramolecular　charge　transfer　of　dyes.　The　excited-state　lifetimes　of　the　new　dyes　were　in　the　following　order:　YD2-o-C8　＜　Dye4　＜　Dye2　＜　Dye5　＜　Dye3　＜　Dye1,　which　shows　their　stronger　abilities　to　inject　electrons　into　semiconductor　films.