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How to Download Videos from YouTube
and view them offline for educational purposes
by Neil MacQueen
YouTube's free version doesn't make it easy to view their videos offline (like in a classroom). That's why I strongly recommend you have an internet connection in your classroom so that you can connect to YouTube in your classroom without worrying about downloading. Another option now is to subscribe to YouTube Premium which allows you to download most content. Yet another option is to download a video for teaching purposes using any number of free online download services.
It's legal.
The long-standing and historic legal principle of "Fair Use" enshrined in US and Canadian copyright law gives educators extra latitude in using all copyrighted material for the expressed and limited purposes of non-profit teaching, commentary, and research. This includes when teaching circumstances require you to convert the format of a copyrighted work from one file format to another (such as from a record to an MP3, a photo to a scan, or converting an online video to one you can play on a device that can't get online.
Court rulings and copyright law in the U.S. have made it clear that educators have a great deal of latitude when seeking to use copyrighted material for non-profit teaching purposes --their dire "warning" and terms of service not withstanding. You cannot sign away your rights expressly protected by Federal Copyright Law, section 101.
They also don't have to make it easy for you or possible, but in the case of YouTube videos, there are a number of services that can help an educator who otherwise can't connect to YouTube in the classroom.
Free Services that Download Videos from YouTube and Vimeo
https://yt5s.com/ See my HOW TO below with the cautions.
www.Clipconverter.cc is great for non-musical videos. Videos with copyrighted music, however, may be rejected by clipconverter for conversion. Just be aware that this site will pop up an annoying screen trying to show you other services. See screenshot help below.
Most of these services will try to get you to click ads or download some kind of software which you do not need. Click carefully. 
When I need to view a video offline for teaching or lesson writing purposes, I often download it with https://yt5s.com/
- All you need is the URL of the YouTube video you want to copy and download.
- Copy that URL from YouTube's website and PASTE that URL into the download site's interface.
- Then select the MP4 video format and preferred download size, and convert/download it.
- After the file is converted, the service will download the file to your computer. DONE.
Warning: The web pages of these services often come with ads trying to get you to "DOWNLOAD" other software. R.E.A.D. before clicking.
Two "advertise-y cautions" to be careful of:
(1) The ads which run on the y2mate page can be blush-worthy.
(2) When you click the legitimate "download" link -- the download starts (watch for it in your taskbar). The file will most likely be in your DOWNLOAD FOLDER. Again, just be careful you don't click OTHER download buttons. All these services work without downloading a special app, don't download one.
Note: Some services no longer allow you to download videos with music in them. Others do.
Viewing or downloading YT videos for personal or teaching use is not piracy.
YouTube's business model is to share the ad revenue with the copyright holder of record. That's why you see ads. When you click a music video, the rightful owner of that song gets a cut of the ad revenue. How do they do that? YouTube's technology can detect the digital fingerprint of every song and video. It's like the "Shazam" app. When someone uploads a song or video, YouTube takes its fingerprint and then looks to see whether or not the publisher has an agreement with YouTube to allow their content to be uploaded by fans. MOST DO.
The problem is that YT doesn't like you taking their videos OFF their site --even if you have a legitimate and perfectly legal right to do so. Converting content to a viewable format (such as downloading) for non-commercial TEACHING USE is protected by US Copyright Law (sec 101). All the YouTube and FBI warnings in the world can't change Federal Copyright Law.
As an educator, you have the right to convert the format of material you want to teach with from one format to another (from online to downloaded file, for example, or from paper to projection on the screen). This is the same "right to copy" behind the perfectly legal practice of making a CD copy of your favorite music to play in your car, or putting a Bible book on the church copier to make a few copies of a certain part of the content for easier handling in our classroom.)
That said...
IDEALLY, YOU ARE watching the video on YouTube via an internet connection in your classroom. Having access to the internet in your classroom here in the 21st century is the equivalent of having an electricity back in the 20th century. Do it. At the very least, you can use your smartphone to set up an internet hotspot that your laptop or smart tv can connect to. Read "how to set up a wifi hotspot using your phone."
How is it that many Bible movies and Animated Bible Videos are on Youtube?
In many cases, the copyright holder has posted them. Superbook, for example, gives their videos away for free (and gets a cut of the advertising revenue from YouTube viewings), or you can buy their DVD or watch it on their site.
In some cases the online version is lower resolution. In many cases, the copyright holder did not post them, but tolerates their online existence because they are getting a share of the ad revenue from YouTube. Some copyright holders love to see people making "fan" videos of their music (and collect the ad revenue when you view it).
Youtube makes it extremely easy for a copyright holder to have their content removed from Youtube, and movie houses/publishers are generally vigilant about such things. Thus, if it is posted, the owner may have an ad-revenue agreement with Youtube. ...which is why the content has not been removed.
In general, however, you should not be trying to TEACH with full-length copies of Christian videos (or any commercially produced video) on Youtube without knowing whether or not it's bootlegged. And here's the sign: The bootlegs often are low resolution and have the credits cut off. Just keep in mind that many publishers permit the existence of fan-uploaded videos of their content BECAUSE they are low resolution -- and they hope you will buy the real thing. And you should.
Murky? Yeah. Welcome to the 21st Century and online video. Mostly what you need to know is that EDUCATORS have a US Federally protected right to use any copyrighted material for the limited purpose of non-profit, face to face teaching, commentary or research. This includes showing videos from YouTube, scanning artwork, making copies of a magazine article, etc. It does NOT protect copying materials specifically created for teaching --such as distributing or copying from somebody's lesson plans or workbooks via your own channels which would damage the copyright holder's right to make a living by writing lesson plans. That would be "unfair" use.
