% $Id: nolink-example.tex 831 2020-06-04 18:07:54Z karl $
% Public domain.

\documentclass[a4paper]{article}
\usepackage{fancyhdr}
\pagestyle{fancy}
\cfoot{some footline text that should not be linked but is unless xetex}
\usepackage{hyperref}

\begin{document}
\vspace*{48\baselineskip}
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
\href{xxxxx}{link link link link }
\end{document}