Viral infections transform the fate of microbial cells, populations, and ecosystems. The infection and lysis of individual microbes releases new virus particles and redirects carbon and nutrients back through the microbial loop. Yet, there is increasing evidence that the outcome of infections does not necessarily end in rapid lysis. Instead, viral infections include a spectrum of fates including latency, inefficient infections, and infections that fail inside cells. This talk combines insights from mathematical models, experiments, and field-based evidence to explore how non-lytic outcomes and inefficient infections shape microbial populations and ecosystem functioning.