Disk Cleanup and its newer form, Storage Sense, enables users to delete the contents of the Downloads folder during the cleanup process. Since Downloads folder wasn't always part of this feature and was only introduced with the release of Windows 10 October 2018 Update last year, many users didn't realize they were removing potentially important files.

A number of guides on how not to delete the Downloads folder is a hint that users were accidentally emptying this folder even though it wasn't checked by default.

Microsoft is now reverting this change and with the release of Windows 10 20H1 next year, Downloads folder will no longer be a part of the Disk Cleanup or the Storage Sense window. The entry was removed from the operating system with the release of Windows 10 20H1 build 19018 that was released earlier this week.

As noted before, both the Disk Cleanup and Storage Sense are showing up this change, which means you'll no longer be able to empty the Downloads folder through this process. Microsoft updated in the changelog(via WL) that the decision has been taken based on user feedback.

[ADDED]Based on feedback, we’ve decided to remove the downloads folder from disk cleanup.

When exactly is Windows 10 20H1 coming to the public

Reports hint that Microsoft has already finalized Windows 10 20H1 internally to streamline its release with Azure. It is likely that the company will deliver the RTM build to its Insider community by the end of this year.

There are, however, no reports if the company will also deliver this version of the operating system to the public earlier than when we normally get the Spring feature updates. Under this new release calendar, the company intends to finalize the Spring update in December instead of March and Fall update in June, instead of September. You can now clean install Windows 10 20H1 if you want to test the new features.

- Relevant: how to get November 2019 Update before anyone else