Self-assembly of carboxylic-acid-functionalized dyes on mesoporous, anatase TiO2 is at the heart of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). However, the process often requires 6-20 h of electrode immersion at room temperature in the dye-bath solutions. Here, we introduce a new, rapid microwave-assisted sensitization technique (MINAS), which significantly accelerates the sensitization process and yields high-quality, self-assembled films of an organic dye within 5 min. Targeted experiments show that the effects of the microwave radiation cannot be explained purely on the basis of the thermal component. The interaction of the microwave radiation with the conductive fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) electrical contact is a key aspect to consider and a unique feature of MWAS that is the likely cause for producing rapid self-assembly of the dye on the surface.