If you've ever been downloading a Windows 10 update, only for the download to be interrupted before it's completed, you'll know exactly how frustrating that situation can be. It's especially problematic for those with slower internet connections or data caps, given that major updates – like the Fall Creators Update that Microsoft released in October – are several gigabytes in size. It's a problem that Microsoft is keenly aware of, but it's working on a solution.

Currently, if the download is prematurely severed – for example, if your connection drops or the battery on your laptop dies – Windows Update will force you to restart the download from scratch later on. But Windows Insider Program chief Dona Sarkar revealed today to Windows Central that the company is planning improvements that will enable users to resume interrupted downloads instead of starting over.

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Dona wasn't ready to commit to a specific timeframe for that feature, but it's certainly good to know that it's on the roadmap. Microsoft previously made major improvements to how it distributes updates with the launch of its Unified Update Platform last year, which reduced the size of its OS updates by more than a third.

Dona said that the decision to introduce the upcoming "resume download" feature was heavily influenced by Microsoft's experiences with its Windows Insiders4Good Fellowship programs. The company has been working with local entrepreneurs across Africa over the last two years, gaining fresh insights into the needs of users in "occasionally connected" markets, where internet access is often more limited and more costly than in developed nations.