Abstract: Electromagnetic water treatment is a green water treatment technique that can be applied to industrial cooling water systems to achieve scale inhibition on heat exchange surfaces and corrosion inhibition on metals by changing the physicochemical properties of water through electromagnetic fields. The relevant research developments in recent years were reviewed. The influence of electromagnetic fields on the physicochemical properties such as hydrogen bonds, Zeta potential, conductivity, and pH of water solutions was analyzed. The scale inhibition effect and scale inhibition mechanism of electromagnetic treatment on scale-forming substances in water solution were discussed. The effect and mechanism of electromagnetic treatment on corrosion resistance of metals in water were analyzed. The application prospect of electromagnetic water treatment was prospected.