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Disclaimer: Please see WernerCD's answer for an improved method. This will break the search bar/Start search.

After playing around with it a bit, and I think I found a method.

Open Task Manager and have it show More details. Right click on Cortana and select Open file location.

Now find the Cortana folder, right click it, and select Rename. I would recommend just adding ".bak" to the end of the folder name so you can find it easily if you want to restore it back to it's original status.

If you attempt to rename, it will tell you that the folder is in use.

This is when you want to go back to Task Manager, right click on Cortana, and select End task.

Right after the task ends, switch back to the Folder In Use window and click Try Again. The folder should be renamed and the Cortana task will not start again.

Disclaimer: Please see WernerCD's answer for an improved method. This will break the search bar/Start search.

After playing around with it a bit, and I think I found a method.

Open Task Manager and have it show More details. Right click on Cortana and select Open file location.

Now find the Cortana folder, right click it, and select Rename. I would recommend just adding ".bak" to the end of the folder name so you can find it easily if you want to restore it back to it's original status.

If you attempt to rename, it will tell you that the folder is in use.

This is when you want to go back to Task Manager, right click on Cortana, and select End task.

Right after the task ends, switch back to the Folder In Use window and click Try Again. The folder should be renamed and the Cortana task will not start again.

Edit: Please refer to WernerCD's answer for a less hacky version.

After playing around with it a bit, and I think I found a method.

Open Task Manager and have it show More details. Right click on Cortana and select Open file location.

Now find the Cortana folder, right click it, and select Rename. I would recommend just adding ".bak" to the end of the folder name so you can find it easily if you want to restore it back to it's original status.

If you attempt to rename, it will tell you that the folder is in use.

This is when you want to go back to Task Manager, right click on Cortana, and select End task.

Right after the task ends, switch back to the Folder In Use window and click Try Again. The folder should be renamed and the Cortana task will not start again.

Edit: Not sure if I'm doing this right. But I followed this advice a few days ago and realized today that Windows Search was completely broken. Couldn't type in the search box. Going back in and renaming the Cortana folder the correct name restored Windows Search functionality. I apologize if this is not the best way to get this message to the community, but I am new here. Just wanted to warn others. Thanks!

Disclaimer: Please see WernerCD's answer for an improved method. This will break the search bar/Start search.

After playing around with it a bit, and I think I found a method.

Open Task Manager and have it show More details. Right click on Cortana and select Open file location.

Now find the Cortana folder, right click it, and select Rename. I would recommend just adding ".bak" to the end of the folder name so you can find it easily if you want to restore it back to it's original status.

If you attempt to rename, it will tell you that the folder is in use.

This is when you want to go back to Task Manager, right click on Cortana, and select End task.

Right after the task ends, switch back to the Folder In Use window and click Try Again. The folder should be renamed and the Cortana task will not start again.

Edit: Please refer to WernerCD's answer for a less hacky version.

After playing around with it a bit, and I think I found a method.

Open Task Manager and have it show More details. Right click on Cortana and select Open file location.

Now find the Cortana folder, right click it, and select Rename. I would recommend just adding ".bak" to the end of the folder name so you can find it easily if you want to restore it back to it's original status.

If you attempt to rename, it will tell you that the folder is in use.

This is when you want to go back to Task Manager, right click on Cortana, and select End task.

Right after the task ends, switch back to the Folder In Use window and click Try Again. The folder should be renamed and the Cortana task will not start again.

Edit: Please refer to WernerCD's answer for a less hacky version.

After playing around with it a bit, and I think I found a method.

Open Task Manager and have it show More details. Right click on Cortana and select Open file location.

Now find the Cortana folder, right click it, and select Rename. I would recommend just adding ".bak" to the end of the folder name so you can find it easily if you want to restore it back to it's original status.

If you attempt to rename, it will tell you that the folder is in use.

This is when you want to go back to Task Manager, right click on Cortana, and select End task.

Right after the task ends, switch back to the Folder In Use window and click Try Again. The folder should be renamed and the Cortana task will not start again.

Edit: Not sure if I'm doing this right. But I followed this advice a few days ago and realized today that Windows Search was completely broken. Couldn't type in the search box. Going back in and renaming the Cortana folder the correct name restored Windows Search functionality. I apologize if this is not the best way to get this message to the community, but I am new here. Just wanted to warn others. Thanks!