Three easy ways to download YouTube videos

We’re always looking for short video clips that we can use as part of our instruction. But maybe YouTube is blocked at your school, maybe your access is limited or slow, maybe all the laptops are busy being use for state assessments.

And so you’re looking for a quick way to download a handy YouTube clip and store it on your hard drive for later use.

My favorite? KeepVid

It works on a variety of video sites and is fast. Paste in the YouTube url and KeepVid gives you a variety of file formats for you to download onto your desktop. Click the one you want and . . . there ya go.

(Don’t click the big red FREE Download button. That’s an ad. Click the smaller Download button in the blue just to the right of the url box.) Your video choices are listed in green.

Another nice option is ClipNabber. Same idea. Paste in the YouTube or other url and hit Nab! You’ll get a few choices of video formats. Click the one you want and it’s yours.

Another option is a site called Zamzar. It’s a bit clunkier than KeepVid or ClipNabber but the advantage to Zamzar is that you get a ton more options for file format types. Both for files you want converted and what you want them to be converted into.

Enter a url or file from your computer, select the file output and your email address. Zamzar will convert your file and send a message with a link to your file when it’s finished.

No matter which tool you use, you now have a video clip that is accessible any time you need it rather than depending on fickle filtering systems, weak wireless access or lack of student computers.