Current Problem:
When you launch a game, Steam automatically pauses all downloads without any warning. This often leads to forgetting about paused downloads and returning hours later to find nothing was downloaded.

Complete Solution:

Add a Toggle Setting:
In Settings > Downloads, add an option: "Pause downloads when launching a game" (checkbox). This lets users CHOOSE if they want the automatic pausing or prefer to keep downloading in the background.

Always Show a Status Notification:
When launching a game while downloads are active, show a clear notification indicating what happened:

If pausing is ENABLED: "Downloads have been paused to optimize game performance."

If pausing is DISABLED: "Downloads will continue running in the background."

This combination gives users full control and clear information, preventing surprises and wasted time. Thank you for considering this user-friendly improvement!