Microwave (MW) assisted syntheses are environment friendly, efficient, rapid and convenient methodology for the synthesis of organic compounds. Benzene ring fused to a five membered ring containing N or O atom exhibits wide range of biological activities.Benzofuran is present in polymers, pharmaceuticals, and bioactive natural products.Benzofuran is significant as insecticides, herbicides, anti-inflammatory and anti-viral agents.Indoles are well known scaffold showing noteworthy activities like anti-tumor, anti-viral, anti-microbial and anti-oxidant. Indole derivatives are valuable moiety in different therapeutically active drug molecules. On account of the biological significance of benzofuran and indole scaffold, this review describes the recent advances in microwave assisted synthesis of benzofurans and indoles, and covers literature from 2012-2020.